Electric-circuit closer for looms.



No. 692,927. Patented Feb. II, 1902. H. W. SMITH..

ELECTBIC CIRCUIT CLOSER FOB LOOMS.

(Application fllbd Feb. 12, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EFICE.

HARRY W. SMITH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR LOOMS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,927, datedFebruary 11, 1902.

Application filed February 12, 1900. Serial No. 4,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Common wealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inElectric-Circuit Closers for Looms, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of the same, in which- Figure 1 represents a top view of aloomlathe, showing a shuttle-box and shuttle contained therein. Fig. 2is a top view of a shuttle, with a portion shown in sectional View online 2 2, Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on line 3 3,Fig. 1.

Similar reference-letters refer to similar parts in the different views.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for closing anelectric circuit at a predetermined period in the operation of a loom ascontrolled by the withdrawal of the weft from the shuttle for thepurpose of energizin g an electromagnet, and thereby set in operationauxiliary mechanism-such, for example, as mechanism for stopping theloom,

replenishing weft, or for other purposes; and

my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of certaindevices carried by the shuttle and comprising the terminals of anelectric circuit, which are arranged to be brought into electricalconnection at a predetermined period in the withdrawal of the weft fromthe shuttle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A denotes a portion of aloom-lathe, B a shuttle-box mounted thereon, and G a shuttle containedin the shuttle-box. The shuttle-body O is provided with a bobbin-chamber0, containing a weft bobbin or carrier D. Journaled in the shuttle-bodyis a feeler E, consisting of a wire bent at a right angle at each end toform arms E E The arm E projects into the bobbin-chamber beneath thebobbin and is held against the weft by means of a torsional spring F,applied to the spindle E to rock the feeler and press the arm E againstthe weft. The arm E extends beneath a fixed metallic contact-plate H,held in a contact chamber G, formed in the shuttle-body at the base ofthe bobbin. The feelerE is journaled in metallic bearings E E, one ofwhich is electrically connected by a Wire I with a contact plate J, andthe fixed contact-plate H is similarly connected by a wire I with acontactplate J. The contact-platesJ and J 'are preferably placed on thetop of the shuttle-body and are arranged to be brought into contact withelectrical brushes K K, which are car* ried by the lathe and areconnected with the opposite poles of abattery by means of wires K K Asthe shuttle enters the shuttle-box the plates J J are brought intocontact with the brushes K K, and the contact-plateH and feeler E becomethe terminals of an electric circuit. The arm E is arranged to bedepressed and held out of contact with the fixed contact-plate H by theweft on the bobbin but as the weft is withdrawn in the operation ofweaving the feeler E is gradually rocked in its bearings by the actionof the torsional spring F, causing the arms E E to rise until the arm Ecomes in contact with the contact-plate H, thereby completing thecircuit. The contactplate H and arms E E are so adjusted that the arm Eand plate H will be brought in contact before the entire withdrawal ofweft from the bobbin, causing an electromagnet placed in the circuit inthe usual and wellknown manner in looms of this class to be comeenergized at a predetermined period in the operation of weaving andbefore the entire withdrawal of weft from the bobbin.

When the bobbin is removed from the shuttle, the torsional spring Fholds the arm E in contact with the plate H and the arm E in a raisedposition in the path of the bobbin as it is inserted in the shuttle. Theinsertion of a bobbin filled with weft will press the arm E downward,thereby rocking the feeler E and carrying the arm E out of contact withthe plate H. As the operation of weaving proceeds and the weft iswithdrawn from the bobbin the arms E -E will gradually rise by theaction of the torsional spring F until the arm E is brought into contactwith the plate H, thereby electrically connecting the terminals andcompleting the circuit whenever the shuttle enters the shuttle-box andbrings the contact plates J J into contact with the brushes K K.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In an electric-circuit closer for looms,

the combination with a shuttle-body having a pair of contact-plates andadapted to support a weft carrier or bobbin, a rocking feeler journaledin the shuttle-body and provided with arms projecting angularlytherefrom, a spring applied to rock said feeler to hold one of said armsagainst the weft, and to move the other of said arms into electricalconnection with one of the contact-plates as the weft is withdrawn, andmeans for electrically connecting the feeler with the other of saidplates.

2. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with ashuttle-body, of a feeler journaled in said shuttle-body, means forrocking said feeler in one direction, an arm projecting angularly fromsaid feeler arranged to come into contact with the weft, whereby therocking motion of the feeler is limited, a second arm on said feelerforming one of the terminals of an electric circuit, and a contact-plateforming the other terminal of the electric circuit and arranged in thepath of said second arm, whereby the circuit is closed as the weft iswithdrawn.

3. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with ashuttle-body having a bobbin-chamber and a contact-chamber, of a rockingfeeler having one end extending into the bobbin-chamber and the oppositeend extending into the contact-chamber, means for rocking the feeler inone direction, an arm arranged on said feeler to bear against the weftin the bobbin-chamber, a fixed contactsurface in the contact-chamber,and a second arm on said feeler arranged to strike against saidcontact-surface as the weft is withdrawn, substantially as described.

4. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with theshuttle-body, of a feeler provided with arms projecting angularlytherefrom, means for moving the feeler axially to press one of said armstoward the weft-carrier, and a contact-plate in the path of movement ofthe other arm of the feeler.

5. In an electric-circuit closer for looms, the combination with theshuttle-body, of a feeler journaled therein, means for turning saidfeeler about its longitudinal axis, said feeler being provided with armsone of which is adapted to bear upon the weft carried by the shuttle,and a contact-plate in the path of movement of the other of said arms.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses, this the 24th day of January,1900.

HARRY IV. SMITH.

Witnesses:

RUFUS B. FOWLER, AVA T. MURPHY.

